I have completed the programming work to implement the Consequence attribute of Options and begun using it. I have resumed writing encounters, including a long series of encounters detailing a bard’s visit and the tales he tells. I tried to write some verse, and did a pretty good job with the opening, but it took entirely too long and I just didn’t like the feel of it. Here’s what I have so far:
"Prick up your ears, my dears, and listen long as I sing my song." he begins.
"Pwill was king of an ancient land he ruled with noble hand.
His cattle were many, his sheep were plenty, and hale were his folk.
On a day bright and gay he set out to play with his dogs on a grand hunt.
Deep in the forest he rode, and a fog arose, and he knew not where he was.
No tracks were found, the dogs ran round, and Pwill began to fear.
Then to help he heard the yelps of another pack of dogs.
Off they went to follow the scent and came unto a glade.
There the foreign pack had killed a stag and .
"Begone, ye louts!" Pwill shouts, and chased those dogs away.
Then his own pack he set to snack upon the fallen stag.
When a horseman appears, his dogs arear, and scowls at Pwill.
"You've done me hurt" he loudly blurts, "and revenge shall I have.”
"What harm have I done? Recompense I will pay, whatever you say.”
"My pack did you cheat, by taking their meat, after a long and hard chase.”
"What price do you ask? Whatever the task, I'll do it to earn your goodwill.”
"What is the name that I may blame for discourtesy so ill?”
"My name and my fame are known far and wide: it is Pwill. How come you not to know?”
"Pwill is a name bereft of fame in these lands I rule.”
"What?! I am the king of these lands!”
"Nay, Pwill, for you are in the Otherworld of Anoovin, and I am Arawn, lord of this domain.”
It seems clichéd, like some kid trying to write some standard swords and sorcery crap. I wrote the remainder of the tale of Pwyll and Arawn in prose, which was much faster and doesn’t seem pretentious.
But I am beginning to tire of this and I am starting to think about the JavaScript engine that I’ll be needing to set up to make all this work.